Dove Hunting

Well Sept is here again. Is everyone ready for dove hunting? My hunting buddy went to our site the other day and said the birds were uncountable. Just far too many. This is good. I do have a question though, since there are people here from other states. Do all states open dove hunting on the 1st of Sept? I can't wait till wed. However I dont think my SX2 is ready yet. I bought it brand new and only have about 100 or so 2 3/4" #2 steel through it. I don't know if it will cycle those lighter dove shells yet. It only came with one piston that is said to handle light and heavy loads. I may wait till after opening week to take it out. Oh well im rambling now. Get out and hunt!

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dawico

August 29, 2010, 07:35 PM

Take it with and bring a backup gun.

I am so ready for Dove season. Dove are definitely in the area. We open Sept. 1st also.

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 29, 2010, 07:41 PM

Ill have to check the rules at out public area and see if I can bring 2 guns. I usually just take my old Winchester 1400. It gives her some time out of the safe. :D I mainly bought the SX for waterfowl, turkey, and somtimes upland game.

HB

August 29, 2010, 08:43 PM

I'm very excited as well. I have a hunt going on on a 40 acre sunflower field up near Adams County Illinois I believe as well as hitting the various public grounds. You dont happen to hunt at Columbia Bottoms do you?

Ike R

August 29, 2010, 09:01 PM

Our season starts on september 11th here in South East Texas....can't wait, good luck to yall up north!

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 29, 2010, 09:23 PM

No HB we usually always go to Peabody River King in New Athens. They always plant sunflower on their fields and its close to home. I may have to look Columbia Bottoms up this year. Is it in or around Columbia, Illinois?

gbran

August 29, 2010, 10:01 PM

Here in central CA, September 1st is opening day. Unfortunately, the best places around me have more hunters than birds.

Roughneck08

August 30, 2010, 06:30 AM

September 1st here in north texas. Counting down the days!!

Fernando

August 30, 2010, 06:42 AM

Already started on the 22th of August! They are already fleeing to Africa, lol. Pic:

http://i33.tinypic.com/55m6ic.jpg

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 30, 2010, 06:56 PM

Fernando you are a picture taking fool!:D You have some good ones on your dog thread. Dove breast+A1+bacon+oven=GOOOOD stuf maynard!

Captcurt

August 30, 2010, 09:44 PM

Have you noticed more of the Eurasian Collared Doves? I saw about 20 of them one day last week. There is no limit on them here in Arkansas.:D

I even watched two of them on a cruiseship 2 years ago. They rode with us from Mobile Alabama to Cozumel Mexico.:eek:

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 30, 2010, 09:48 PM

I guess birds can take a cruise too. :D But they dont have to pay! Sure does beat flying and risking being someones dinner!

I'm really gearing up for my very first dove hunt on Wednesday. I don't know why I haven't gone before, as my dad and brother have gone tons of times. I lost interest in hunting during my teenage years, and just picked up deer hunting again about 5 years ago, so here I am to try my hand at doves. I don't own any shotguns, so I was going to borrow my dad's extra 870. Well, for some reason it was jamming up when I was shooting clays the other day. It would fail to extract the spent shell casing half the time. Finally, my dad goes inside and gets his Parker Brothers Trojan SxS (which I had never seen assembled, let alone shot). We finished shooting clays and did some pattern testing with it before finishing up. I'm going to be using it on Wednesday, and am really excited to be using a shotgun over twice my age for my first dove hunt!

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 30, 2010, 10:21 PM

Sweet man! Good luck Mr. Nutz (I just had to say that). I know the one you are shooting is prob fixed choke, but I would love to hunt with a SxS or O&U were I could have 2 different chokes. You know......for those first shot misses. :D

Roughneck08

August 31, 2010, 01:34 AM

Yes the Eurasian's here are by the thousands...and the best thing is, with them being an exotic there are no limit and they are much larger than our mourning dove so good eating!! And Punisher, yes bacon jalepenos wrapped up on the grill is the only way to do it!

I wish we started on Aug. 22.
Yeah, I thought that I was ready for them a few years back. We shot skeet every week for 2 months. I almost felt sorry for them on opening day. Then I missed the first nine that came over. They will humble you in a hurry.

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 31, 2010, 03:18 PM

It is my favorite bird to hunt. They can maneuver like an F-18. It seems they bob and weave in between your shot pattern.

SheepNutz

August 31, 2010, 05:58 PM

Sweet man! Good luck Mr. Nutz (I just had to say that). I know the one you are shooting is prob fixed choke, but I would love to hunt with a SxS or O&U were I could have 2 different chokes. You know......for those first shot misses. :D
Yeah, I like that the Parker gives different patterns depending on which barrel you use. I plan on shooting the right barrel as birds are closer and the left one as they're going away.

Captcurt

August 31, 2010, 06:23 PM

That's the way I shoot at em but it is usually at the same bird.

MCgunner

August 31, 2010, 06:27 PM

Heading to Waco this weekend. Gotta get my license and stuff and perhaps a few boxes of dove loads for the old Winchester auto and I'm in business. :D I'll take along the little 20 gauge double, too.

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 31, 2010, 06:29 PM

What kind of Winchester MC? I think I remeber talking to you about my 1400.?.?

MCgunner

August 31, 2010, 06:37 PM

It's a 1400 ranger. Good shooting, soft shooting 12 gauge. I love that thing. :D I recently fixed an issue I had with it, installed a left hand safety. This will be my first hunt after that modification.

john917v

August 31, 2010, 06:42 PM

I've been hunting several times on 'Mostly deer/hog hunting, but we bring .22's with us for small game if it's slow' And I have to say, I must have some type of hunting ADD, since I largely prefer small game hunting. I tried dovehunting for the first time last season, and brother, it was FUN! (It was a learning game with those F18-birds, as someone previously mentioned) I got to shoot a nice OU Yildiz 12-ga, too!

HB

August 31, 2010, 07:16 PM

No, Columbia Bottoms is in north St. Louis County basically. Right off 270. The first few weeks of the season are phenomenal but require that you get in a lottery that is now over. Next year put in for sure because i can almost guarantee you it is some of the best dove hunting on public land.

It just sucks i haven't sacked up and sold my 20 gauge stoger for a 28 or 410. Love the little guns and I've shot my fair of limits to downgrade to a more fun gun.

HB

ThePunisher'sArmory

August 31, 2010, 07:49 PM

I may have to look into that. If you would let me know how much a 1 day hunting pass is in Mo.? I'll bring it up to my hunting buddy tomorrow. Peabody talked about going to a lottery but have not done it yet. I'm glad for that we usually get there about 9-10 and get released on the field at 11 then can hunt at 12. I tell you what you have never see so many armed hunters running to a good spot then you have here. We usually go about 2 weeks prior to scout for a good spot and run to it opening day!

kd7nqb

September 1, 2010, 02:44 AM

I just got invited to go dove hunting, we are going next week even though out season opens Sep 1st. I know almost nothing about it so I got some research to do in the next week.

Captcurt

September 1, 2010, 09:10 AM

I just got invited to go dove hunting, we are going next week even though out season opens Sep 1st. I know almost nothing about it so I got some research to do in the next week.
KD,
Go buy a case of shells. That is the best advice that I can give you.

ThePunisher'sArmory

September 1, 2010, 10:26 PM

Well I just got done doing all my post hunting chores. Clean the gun (extra well because it poured on us), clean the birds, vaccum pack with my Food Saver (love this thing), and lastly take a shower........I stink! Pretty good day. I got 9 and my friend got 5, he was mad I outshot him :D. As i mentioned it rained....all day. One really good downpour for about 1/2 hour. It then let up for us to do some real shootin. As soon as the rain let up almost all the guys, and couple gals, left and the birds started working. However I did notice my gun does not like the rain! I used my Winchester SX2 26". I had about 5-6 failures. Two fail to feed, and quite a few stovepipes. It kinda made me mad cause I bought this gun for waterfowling and those conditions can get quite worse. I think the main reason is because the ejector was wet at times. This gun never gives me a problem in good weather hot or cold. I guess I should also mention it is brand new and only has about 100-150 rounds through it. Mainly high brass pheasent, some high brass steel duck shells to test it out, and light meat shoot loads that it stovepiped every one. What do you guys think? maybe it still needs some "break in" time? All in all today was a great hunting day. Rain and all.

millertyme

September 1, 2010, 10:49 PM

opened today in kansas but school keeps me too occupied to even buy a license these days

SheepNutz

September 2, 2010, 02:55 PM

Well, I really had a great time at my first shoot, even though I only managed 4 birds. We hunted at a wildlife management area, so we got there early to setup in a sunflower field. There were doves everywhere, but unfortunately, the season didn't start until 11AM. By that time there were hardly any birds. A few locals told us that they had been scouting the site for a while, and most of the birds come in between 3:30 and 4:30. Sure enough, that's when we saw most of the action. I was kind of in a bad spot though, because my brother, dad, uncle and I lined up parallel to a tree line, and most of the birds were coming in on the side that my dad and uncle were on. They both got their limit, while my brother got 6, besting my 4. I downed a 5th one, but it fell into the treeline and I never found it. I can't believe I only hit 5 birds out of the 60 or so shots I took. I actually got 4 of my 5 hits using my brother's model 12. I couldn't hit a thing with the parker side by side. I just really need to practice more on the clays. It's something I've only recently picked up on. I have a private dove shoot lined up next week, so hopefully I can get some practice in and do better there.

wgp

September 2, 2010, 03:08 PM

We opened in Kansas yesterday and I shot so poorly I'm embarrassed. I'll blame the wind -- it was howling and the birds were flying by so fast I couldn't catch up. At least I was shooting an O/U so I only missed each bird twice instead of three times.

At least the hunting season has re-opened so I'm happy.

Captcurt

September 2, 2010, 04:03 PM

SheepNutz and wgp,

Don't feel too bad about shooting poorly. Most of the so-called experts in your hunting magazines claim that the average shooter shoots 5 shots per bird. I do know that they are a lot easier to hit on paper than they are in the air.;)

ThePunisher'sArmory

September 2, 2010, 05:03 PM

Well im pretty average then Captcurt. I was realy on towards the end of the day. Shot almost none till 2:00. Took alot of shots though. I brought 40 shells and bagged 9. Though most shells were wasted at the begining of the day. Then it clicked and remembered how to shoot :D. I think we did good later because the rain drove alot of people off. More birdys for us!

content

September 4, 2010, 08:33 PM

Hello friends and neighbors // It was a perfect day for Dove hunting in our area.

80 degrees and a slight breeze.
We set up just before twelve ( hunting is 12:00-6:00) in the shade of the trees at the edge of a public Dove field.
There were only seven trucks in the parking area so we arrived way before the crowd.

Well...last year this field was planted in sunflowers and the dove were thick, this year it was planted in corn that only grew three feet.

Everything was perfect except the dove, we saw our first high flyer at 3:30, lol three and a half hours before getting a shot.

I missed, would have probably needed a 30" full choke but what the heck, it got everyones attention and someone across the field must have had a "30" full choke" because they got the dove.
Reminded me of hunting with my dad and his 30", full choke, bolt action ,Marlin, 12ga. he could pull the dove out of the sky with that one.

It was a fun day but no Dove on the grill tonight.
I'll try a "private" field Tuesday.

Hope all of you got your limit.

Texas Gun Person

September 4, 2010, 11:36 PM

Bagged 15 yesterday

15 today

Will be going back monday.

Using a new Winchester SuperX2 3'' that I got for my birthday on the 31st of August. Works great. :D

Do all of my hunting out in Mississippi... I own 404 acres, and have many friends who own plenty of land. For stuff like birds... limits are not something that are usually followed when it comes to dove, but I have so far.

jbkebert

September 5, 2010, 01:00 PM

We went out Saturday morning and evening for the annual youth dove hunt for hunter education. Last year we took 30 kids 15 in the morn and 15 in the evening. We had a great time getting first crack at a 200 acre feild of mixed sunflowers and milo. The kids shot aroun 2200 rounds of ammo throughout the day with many kids shooting their limit. This year entirely different story. A cold front moved in and we didn't get first crack at the field. Same area as last year only it had been hunted for 5 days before our arrival. The 20 kids this year shot approx 150 rounds of ammo and we scored 9 birds. everyone still had a good time and almost all of the kids got at least one or two shots off. The field had seen about 75 to 80 hunters before we got there on Saturaday and according to the game wardens approx 900-1000 birds had already been shot off of the field.:(

otcconan

September 5, 2010, 02:40 PM

Due to financial circumstances, I did not get my license this year. So the doves on Mom's farm are safe for now.

I usually hunt with the Remington 1100 LT Dad bought me, but I do have an 870 in reserve. Good doves in our area means a sloppy farmer (in other words, lots of sunflowers), and our 90 acres has been kept up pretty well the last two years. My only real hope is actually to hunt a lease and like I said, the money is tight right now.

But still...a good dove hunt with the buddies is a good way of cleansing all the disagreements of the last year, cathartic and fun.

And, wrapped in bacon and jalapenos, dove is sublime eatin'.

Deer season...I am hitting for sure.

Fernando

September 5, 2010, 04:47 PM

Did anyone take a picture? Just trying to see if your doves are like ours.

http://i53.tinypic.com/1zmfays.jpg

This next pic was taken on last 22nd of august, at 7.43 AM, hence the cold colors.

http://i52.tinypic.com/2h7fbja.jpg

GarMan

September 5, 2010, 06:55 PM

Oh man. Had fun opening day here in South Texas. Outside of Brownsville about 1/2 a mile away from the border. Didn't get my limit, but got 6 and I lost 2. Upset with that. Had a great time with friends and family.

ThePunisher'sArmory

September 5, 2010, 10:20 PM

Ours here in Illinois are a mostly grey color. Not much brown in them. Man you take that camera everywhere Fernando :D

jbkebert

September 5, 2010, 11:13 PM

Yes the date is wrong one of these days I'll figure out how to set it correctly.

0-6 ... but I hunt 500 yards from the house. Probably would have done better this afternoon... but the 9 year old got board and chatty about the time the birds should have come in to water. Dove were passing my blind a bit higher than usually ... a little spooked

thertel

September 5, 2010, 11:43 PM

Finally made it out today. Took 9, had 2 misfires and then the m1 flaked out on me and kept misfeeding. I cleaner her up so we'll see how tomorrow goes.

Fernando

September 6, 2010, 03:58 AM

Quote”: Ours here in Illinois are a mostly grey color. Not much brown in them.”

Thanks, Punisher. Ours arrive here to Portugal in April, they come from northern Africa. They nest here, and during august they flee to Africa again. We can hunt them only in waiting process (hidden near the cereal fields or artificial feeding spots).

This year I decided to wait for the doves in one of the spots I usually use to catch boars at night, because the doves and the pigeons eat the corn and the wheat during the day, and boars only get out at night.

The daily limit per hunter was 8 but it was rapidly exceeded, even before 9 am, so I distribute the exceeding doves to other friendly hunters near by, placed in no so high ground as I was (it was my spot, so I can choose were to be lol).

Jb, nice pictures! And I agree with you: every hunter’s group should have at least one girl. Someone has to get all those feathers out of the doves, lolol. Use ear muffs when you can, especially at target shooting (so you don’t go deaf with time). And when zeroing a rifle as a 30 calibre or larger you will do a much better job with ear muffs, stranger that it may seam to you. Protect your ears!

MCgunner

September 6, 2010, 03:56 PM

Back from my annual Waco, Texas pilgrimage to slaughter the dove population. Limited both days. Saturday afternoon was amazing, little front blew through and must have caused a little migration cause the birds wouldn't leave us alone. That morning I didn't shoot too good, but by afternoon I was on target and one with the gun. I finished about 1 for 3 with the Winchester 1400 12 gauge. Now, Sunday afternoon, I carried the little 20 gauge Spartan coach gun out, choked I/C-Mod, and DAMN, but I couldn't miss! I was one with that gun. I knew first off I needed to concentrate on swing with it as it's whippy compared to my auto. But, damn, I was making 40 yard plus shots and 25 or 30 with the I/C barrel, dead bird, nuf said. :D The little gun is so light to carry in the field, patterns awesome with a 7/8 ounce load of 7.5s, just LOVE that thing. And, the recoil is so much easier on the shoulder than even the auto which ain't bad. I managed about 1 for 2 with the 20, beat my 12 score, but I took some time Saturday morning getting in the swing, so to speak, with the 12. Still, puts to rest anyone saying you can't do well with a coach gun on birds, 20 gauge to boot!

Anyway, we messed 'em up. I've got birds, plan to eat 'em. :D

ThePunisher'sArmory

September 6, 2010, 04:23 PM

My buddys main gun is broke and waiting for parts. He ended up using a single shot break barrel 12ga. It was funny as hell, but he did alright with it. We or just I are going out this thurs and fri. to get some more! Some dude on here said to soak your dove breasts in A1 overnight and wrap them in bacon then bake. Man that is good stuff!!

paintballdude902

September 6, 2010, 11:59 PM

opened sat here. managed to get 13

chas08

September 7, 2010, 08:59 AM

Hunted five days in a row, limited each time, 75 birds total.

Gunaria

September 7, 2010, 09:40 AM

Sept. 1st in Cali & Indy. My buddies back home all got their limits.

paintballdude902

September 7, 2010, 09:11 PM

chase08 is that a remington spartan sxs? if it s then its the same gun i use except i have the double triggers

chas08

September 7, 2010, 10:44 PM

chase08 is that a remington spartan sxs? It's a Baikal IZH 43 28ga. Fixed choke I/C & Mod, distributed by EAA. It preceeded the Spartan line. I bought it new several years ago. It is essentially the same gun as the Spartan 210. I've killed hundreds, maybe into the low thousands of doves with it. I think I got my $250 worth out of it, should it decide to crater. So far it's been a "little Russian tank".

MCgunner

September 8, 2010, 10:46 AM

My 20 gauge is a spartan SPR220 coach gun. I bought it for a compact bird gun and run it with mod/IC chokes. It is deadly, a little whippy, but doesn't seem to bother me. I adjust rather quickly to it. I love that thing. :) It's kinda ugly, but well built and rugged and it sure gets the job done. It's very compact for travel which matters especially if you're traveling by motorcycle which I do on occasion. That's the primary reason I wanted the coach gun barrel length, but it also makes a fine home defense and trail gun, even packs away in a back pack. Love that thing.

countertop

September 10, 2010, 12:24 AM

I hunt Saturday morning in SW Oklahoma (Altus area). Can't wait.

countertop

September 12, 2010, 01:08 AM

Great hunt today in SW Oklahoma - limited out at 15.

We were hunting over a 16 acre cut millet field surrounded on two sides by cotton fields and on the other sides by industrial equipment.

Morning started off slow, I drank a bit too much coffee and just as I arrived to the field nature called. As a result, I was the last one out and ended up facing due east with the son directly in my face. First waves were all on the other side - where the sky was lit up with doves, and off to my right.

However, by 9am, the weather shifted as clouds rolled in and the wind changed directions and with it the doves as well, but 10:45 I had my limit in the bag. Cleaned them and took them to a buddy's in Ft. Worth this evening where we grilled them up with bacon and beers.

Another great day in the field

chas08

September 12, 2010, 11:44 PM

Bird # 105 hit the ground today at about 6:00 pm. Seven hunts, seven limits. The young guns, (25 yr olds) on our Dove lease were still throwing lead when the "old man" was leaving with his limit cleaned and iced. Fifteen birds, twenty six shots. That 10 yr old POS Lanber 2087 12ga. with tubes full over improved modified did it again on educated birds. I'd rather be lucky than good.

SheepNutz

September 13, 2010, 12:49 PM

I went on my second dove hunt yesterday, this time a private shoot at the home of a fellow homebrewer. I was kind of surprised when I showed up, because 99% of the 40 or so people there had already started drinking before hunting and some were more concerned with bring beer into the fields instead of bringing doves out of them. I politely declined any alcohol before the shoot, and was surprised that this group of hunters were very safe and there were no mishaps like there were at the public dove fields on opening day. We started at 3PM, and almost everyone had their limits by 5PM. The birds were flying like crazy. I'm still not that good of a shot though. I downed 15 or so birds using about 115 rounds. 5 of those birds I didn't even find because they all fell into soybean fields, which made it very difficult to find birds in. Nobody had a dog either. I was using a borrowed Springfield pump 12 gauge and was having some issues with it sticking up, not wanting to feed rounds and sometimes not wanting to even pump open after a shot had been fired. It's ok though, the great food and beer to be had after the hunt made it all worthwhile!

MCgunner

September 17, 2010, 06:35 PM

South zone opens tomorrow. I'm going to try one of the public areas in the Texas APH handbook, or perhaps three since they're close together. Probably go Thursday. My teal season is ruined by all the friggin' rain from hurricanes. We got one going in to Mexico now that's pouring rain on the river delta. GDWMA, where I hunt at the river delta, is closed due to flooding. Bummer. So, screw it, I'll shoot doves. :D

Yo Mama

September 17, 2010, 07:28 PM

Man what a great year this year! Limited out every day except for one. Good eating for quite a few meals.

This year was much better than last year. The rain here was heavier than normal, and the birds sure liked it.

My shooting as others here needs some work. I spent more on ammo this year than I would have liked. :mad:

SheepNutz

September 17, 2010, 08:20 PM

Luckily, my friend is having another shoot this sunday, and now has space for my dad, two uncles, and my brother to hunt too! I took my doves from last sunday's hunt and wrapped them in bacon and marinated them for 10 hours in Italian dressing, then grilled them. Boy, they were delicious! Even my wife, the former vegetarian pickiest eater on the planet, loved them!

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